Abortion Bill signed into law

Abortion in limited circumstances has been signed into Irish law.

President Michael D Higgins signed the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill this morning.

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It’s now an Act of Law and is open to legal challenge.

President Higgins convened the Council of State for over three hours yesterday.

It’s not known what advice the group gave him, but he decided this morning to sign the legislation into law.

It means the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act as it now is, is open to legal challenge at any point.

He had the option of testing the constitutionality of the legislation by referring it to the supreme court, but didn’t do so.

It means Irish law now allows for the termination of a pregnancy when a woman’s life is at risk in three circumstances – in the case of a medical emergency, medical treatment for an illness such as cancer and in cases of suicide because of the pregnancy.

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